Results 401-420 of 1,068 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Colm Brophy

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (17 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Recent developments in Nigeria, including credible allegations of the use of excessive force against protesters, are of great concern, in particular the violence of 20 October in Lagos. Armed men in military-style attire fired towards a group of protesters in the Lekki area of Lagos, using live ammunition. The number of casualties remains unclear, but reports have claimed that at least 12...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (11 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Department of Foreign Affairs enables participation by Irish citizens in overseas election observation missions organised by the EU and the OSCE through nomination of volunteers from our Election Observation Roster. The current, five-year roster was established on the basis of an open, competitive application process in 2018, using a competency framework for ranking in line with Public...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (10 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Since the restriction measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic were implemented in March 2020, Ireland has not nominated observers to participate in international election observation missions. Due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the OSCE suspended standard election observation missions (EOMs). The OSCE EOM to North Macedonia which had commenced activities on 1 March 2020...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diaspora Issues (3 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Government is committed to holding a referendum on extending the franchise at Presidential elections to Irish citizens living outside the State. We have restored the Thirty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Presidential Elections) Bill to the Dáil Order Paper. The date for the holding of the referendum will be decided once the legislation has been approved by the Oireachtas.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (3 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Ireland has provided development and humanitarian assistance to the Sudanese people for many years. The country has been beset with a combination of both climate and natural disasters as well as continued human rights and poverty challenges for decades. The global coronavirus pandemic is further straining an already fragile social and health infrastructure. Since 2018, Ireland has...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (3 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Department of Foreign Affairs maintains a roster of Irish volunteers available for nomination to election observation missions organised by the OSCE and the EU. Due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the OSCE and the EU suspended election observation missions until last month. In respect of forthcoming elections this month and next, in Ukraine, Georgia and Republic of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (3 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Recent developments in Nigeria, which have seen credible allegations of the use of excessive force against protesters, are of great concern, in particular the violence of 20 October in Lagos. Armed men in military-style attire attacked a group of protesters in the Lekki area of Lagos, using live ammunition, resulting in at least 12 deaths and many people injured. I extend my deep...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (3 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: Yemen is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world with 24 million people, 80 per cent of the population, continuing to require assistance and/or protection. The UN is warning that the country is on the brink of famine. Yemen faces outbreaks of violent conflict, flooding, displacement, cholera and restrictions on humanitarian access. Currently COVID 19 is spreading rapidly in the country. ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (22 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The severe flooding, caused by torrential rains and the overflow of the River Nile and its tributaries, has affected all of the States in Sudan.  It has caused significant damage affecting more than 875,000 people, including 150,000 refugees.  On 4 September, the Transitional Government of Sudan declared a national three-month State of Emergency and designated the country a natural...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Aid (22 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: I am aware that recent floods have seriously affected large parts of Sudan. On 4 September, the Transitional Government of Sudan declared a three-month State of Emergency and appealed for international assistance with regards to water, sanitation, hygiene, shelter and health care.  UN Agencies have reported 155 fatalities. More than 875,000 people have been affected, including 150,000...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (20 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) provides funding to non-profit organisations and projects to support our most vulnerable emigrants overseas, to strengthen Irish communities abroad and to facilitate the development of closer and more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish. The budget for the programme in 2020 is €12.595 million and is a demonstration of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (20 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: Irish Aid is the Government's official development aid programme, of which approximately 65% is managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs. Irish Aid was found by the OECD in its peer review published earlier this year to be 'a strong voice for sustainable development'. The table below sets out Irish Aid grants to countries over the reference period. Data for 2020 is preliminary: more...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (15 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The current roster of volunteers available for nomination to election observation missions organised by the EU and OSCE has 199 members, as listed in the response to Parliamentary Questions No. 338 and No. 342 of 21 July 2020. Roster members were selected on the basis of an open competitive application process in 2018. The roster, which is facilitated by the Department of Foreign Affairs, is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (13 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The Government is firmly committed to growing Ireland's Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme. In 'Our Shared Future', the Programme for Government, the Government committed to making incremental, sustainable progress towards achieving the UN target of 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) to ODA by 2030. In making this commitment, the Government recognised that reaching 0.7% would...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Disability Act Employment Targets (13 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 to 188, inclusive, together. The Department of Foreign Affairs enables participation in a range of volunteering opportunities overseas, typically involving placement with, or by, third party organisations and which are facilitated by the Department through a range of rosters, registers, initiatives and programmes, including the Election Observation Roster...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (8 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: I am deeply concerned by the prolonged and complex crisis in Zimbabwe, where growing political and economic challenges and spiralling humanitarian needs have been exacerbated by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am particularly concerned by the recent and significant escalation in reported human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. The arrest and prolonged pretrial detention of journalist...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: Launched in April 2020, the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, is a ground-breaking global collaboration to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. The ACT Accelerator brings together governments, scientists, businesses, civil society, and philanthropists and global health organizations. Ireland is broadly in support...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (8 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The serious and ongoing deterioration in the security and humanitarian situation in Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique, where a violent insurgency has been underway since 2017, is of grave concern. Ireland is closely monitoring the situation through our Embassy in Mozambique, from where we are providing significant humanitarian assistance to those impacted by violence, including up to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Covid-19 Pandemic (6 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: Ireland recognises that the Palestinian people are particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic, a vulnerability that is closely linked to an overburdened healthcare system, and civilian populations suffering from insecurity, displacement, conflict and poverty. The most recent data available from the WHO records a total of 50,115 cases in the occupied Palestine territories, with 360...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (6 Oct 2020)

Colm Brophy: The people of Yemen continue to be confronted with multiple threats to their lives and livelihoods. In addition to the prolonged conflict and the resulting humanitarian crisis, they are now facing a health emergency caused by Covid-19. The underlying cause of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen is armed conflict. Along with the UN and the EU, Ireland believes that the only way to bring about...